Standardized Testing for Secondary Schools

Standardized testing in public schools, including high schools, has been a highly-debated topic for years when it comes to school system reform. In 2002, with the No Child Left Behind Act, standardized testing was increased in the American public school system. The act made it obligatory for public schools to administer standardized tests at select grade levels in order to receive funding from the federal government. Many believe that the system is unfair, not only for students, but also for teachers, principals, and schools. However, standardized tests for high school students also have several benefits. The following article explores the standardized tests unique to the high school setting and some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with them.

Exit and Admissions Examinations

Exit examinations and admissions examinations are two types of standardized tests specific to secondary or high schools. In an exit examination, students are must achieve a certain level in order to receive their diploma. An admissions test, such as the widely-known SAT, is taken by students often in their last year of high school and scores are submitted as a criteria in a university or college application. Students who do well are given preference over those with lower scores. Both exit examinations and admissions tests are high-stakes tests, as they may significantly affect a student’s career and education outcomes.

Difficulties

Critics of standardized testing are quick to point out numerous disadvantages or problems with this system. Recent research has suggested that standardized tests used in American schools favor certain ethnic and racial groups. Students from low-income families also score consistently lower than students from high-income families. Other research suggests that some students do not perform according to their true capabilities in high-stress test settings or when expressing themselves through multiple-choice test questions. Teachers may feel the need to spend class time teaching the test material to students, which can take the focus away from other subjects and disciplines. If they don’t, test scores may not adequately reflect student learning. Moreover, in many American high schools, administering standardized tests takes away from instruction time. When test scores are compared on a state or national level, they may not actually account for differences in student performance in a particular district or school. When the stakes are high, for instance, if students are required to pass a test to obtain their high school diploma, standardized tests may drastically affect students’ futures.

Advantages

In spite of their shortcomings, standardized tests have advantages for students, parents, teachers, and schools. For one, taking tests helps students to improve both understanding and information recall. A test is really a learning tool – not only does it help students to explain what they know, it can also help to point out areas, subjects, or concepts that require more revision. Tests may also be used by teachers as concrete markers of student progress in the classroom. Areas of need may be shared with parents to help keep them abreast of their child’s progress. Teachers can use tests to improve their professional capacity. A test can help a teacher to identify exactly where he or she isn’t providing sufficient information with respect to a particular concept. It can also help teachers to strive for consistency in what they teach.